February 2023 hatch-a-long

[LhickenChicken]

Update from the person whose eggs went into lockdown yesterday?

 

[dreamofwinter]

It may be just the dynamics of my flock, but when I have them confined, there are actually *fewer* skirmishes among my roosters and cockerels. I don't know, maybe it's the vertical space and roosting bars too, where they can escape vertically and not just horizontally? I have 37 hens/pullets and 4 roosters/cockerels, in a coop 8x22 (4 sq ft/bird) with 3 feeders and 2 waterers, scattered. They do fine all confined together.

Interesting! Mine have more space than that, and we recently added more vertical options. I've never once seen the cockerels be aggressive to each other, so they're probably fine. My main reason for taking Potato, the head boy (Chocolate Orp) out is because he's rough on the girls still and I want to be sure no one gets injured when they're confined. He already tore the back of one hen - partly because he's clumsy and partly because she was naked from failing to molt right. She dropped a bunch of feathers and then just went on laying, instead of taking a break. Now she gets to relax in the mudroom until she's in better shape.

 

[junior67]

I shut off the incubator today. I knew it was a longshot, but I suspect that since the girls were not Quite mature enough yet to be laying when he was taken, that maybe makes it impossible. Perhaps if they had already come to maturity ...and then I had eggs from up to two weeks later, there might have been a real chance.

Sorry to interrupt this super exciting hatch-along, already in progress.

I am so sorry.

 

[junior67]

2 weeks to go for me!

It’s cold here today -16c. This weekend -29c and more like -40 with wind chill. Won’t be working on the coop lol Guess I’ll have to work on my brooder set up.

For my eggs with saddled air cells should I expect the air cell to grow in that same pattern but larger?

Hoping to be able to see more soon in a couple of my darker eggs but for now really paying attention to those air cells for a guide.

The saddled ones will most likely grow in the same pattern they are in but just get bigger.

 

[junior67]

One day to lockdown. I normally take out the turner on day 17 and up humidity on day 18.... Still debating on what to do tonight. I set them mid day so around midnight is 17.5 days

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Lockdown started! I'm so ready to get this party started! (Ohhh... note to self: Set up that brooder tonight!)

For @LhickenChicken who's using the same model Incuview incubator: To disconnect the turner, just pull the little arm off. Don't unplug anything. I removed the turning tray, added about 170 ml of water (total) into all three channels, and replaced the eggs loosely scattered over the mesh. They don't sit very stable on that mesh thing, so it's hard to position them. No matter, I suppose. I hope.

I weighed all of the eggs, and they are, on average, right on target for the end of Day 18. I got a range of 2.2 oz for the biggest eggs, and 1.8 oz. for the smallest - with an average overall of 2.00 oz.. If I've done the math right, they should weigh 1.9-2.0 oz avg. each at hatch. So we're good!!! I think. (I didn't get a starting weight, oops. But I weighed a representative batch of fresh eggs - avg. weight 2.2 oz. - to calculate the needed 13% weight loss and target weight at hatch.) (Note to self: next time, weigh in grams, not ounces. More precise.)

I marked the air cells again, and there is significant growth on some, little or no growth on others. But even those whose air cells did not change, they lost 0.1 oz of weight. And some with the biggest change in air cells lost little or no weight at all. Hmmm - go figure! This is the first time I've measured, recorded and tracked everything. It's a learning experience.

Three days to go!

 

[Kikilu]

Jealous of those of you going into lockdown but excited to see how you all make out! I’ll be watching for updates.

 

[junior67]

Ok so I posted then went up and took out the turner and put in the liner. Lol. I will mark air cells and up humidity tomorrow.

 

[LhickenChicken]

Lockdown started! I'm so ready to get this party started! (Ohhh... note to self: Set up that brooder tonight!)

For @LhickenChicken who's using the same model Incuview incubator: To disconnect the turner, just pull the little arm off. Don't unplug anything. I removed the turning tray, added about 170 ml of water (total) into all three channels, and replaced the eggs loosely scattered over the mesh. They don't sit very stable on that mesh thing, so it's hard to position them. No matter, I suppose. I hope.

I weighed all of the eggs, and they are, on average, right on target for the end of Day 18. I got a range of 2.2 oz for the biggest eggs, and 1.8 oz. for the smallest - with an average overall of 2.00 oz.. If I've done the math right, they should weigh 1.9-2.0 oz avg. each at hatch. So we're good!!! I think. (I didn't get a starting weight, oops. But I weighed a representative batch of fresh eggs - avg. weight 2.2 oz. - to calculate the needed 13% weight loss and target weight at hatch.) (Note to self: next time, weigh in grams, not ounces. More precise.)

I marked the air cells again, and there is significant growth on some, little or no growth on others. But even those whose air cells did not change, they lost 0.1 oz of weight. And some with the biggest change in air cells lost little or no weight at all. Hmmm - go figure! This is the first time I've measured, recorded and tracked everything. It's a learning experience.

Three days to go!

I am going into lockdown tomorrow night. I will use your advice to the best of my abilities.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I am going into lockdown tomorrow night. I will use your advice to the best of my abilities.

And share yours, too, please!